Many inconveniences and disorders having arisen from an improper admission of flags at various posts of the two armies, which have given rise to complaints on both sides; to prevent abuses in future, and for the convenience of communication, I have concluded to receive all flags, from within your lines, at the post of Dobbs's Ferry, and nowhere else, so long as the head-quarters of the two armies remain as at present. I have the honor to be, &c.1

properly addressed to Congress," and when an audience was given to the French minister, on the 13th, "it was deemed politic at this crisis to display every proper evidence of affectionate attachment to our ally."

"Sir Guy Carleton attempted to commence a correspondence with Congress, but that assembly wholly declined his advances. He then wrote to some of the governors of the States, but their answers were equally pointed and repulsive. He next addressed himself to the people, not directly, but through the channel of the newspapers in New York; exhorting them to change their leaders and recall their present members of Congress, and speaking of the new disposition for reconciliation and peace on the part of the mother country; but all without effect. Another attempt is to humiliate Congress by representing them to be under the influence of France, and particularly of the French minister in the United States. But he has used another instrument more powerful than these. He treats all the Americans, who fall into his hands, with extreme kindness; exhorts them not to bear arms against Great Britain; admits freely into New York the wives of the captains of vessels, which have been taken and brought into that harbor, and at their solicitation releases their husbands. And he has even written to General Washington, that he will send back the captured Carolinians in the King's ships and at the King's expense; and that he would do all in his power to cause them to forget their past injuries."-Luzerne to Vergennes, 14 June, 1782.

It was decided by Congress, that the Commander-in-chief should be directed to refuse a passport for Mr. Morgann to bring despatches to Philadelphia.― Journals, May 14th. The advances of Sir Guy Carleton bore so strong a similarity to those of the commissioners in 1778, which proved delusive and fruitless, that Congress deemed it advisable not to open any door for an intercourse through this channel, and more especially as the business of negotiating a peace was entrusted to the American commissioners in Europe.

Had the tenor of Sir Guy Carleton's instructions been known in America, it is probable that a more conciliating temper would have been shown by Con

SIR:

TO ROBERT MORRIS.

HEADQUARTERS, 17 May, 1782.

I have been honored with your Favor of the 23d of April-The Information it contains is in some Respects, pleasing and important-I thank you for the Communication; and need not assure you, that your Confidence shall never be abused by me.

gress. The late change of ministry had produced a change in the determinations of the British Cabinet, and in the measures for prosecuting the war, wholly unexpected and as yet not even conjectured in the United States. This will appear by the following extracts from the directions of the new secretary at war to Sir Guy Carleton when he left England :

“The first object of your attention must be the withdrawing of the garrison, artillery, provisions, stores of all kinds, and every species of public property from New York and its dependencies to Halifax. The same steps are to be taken with reference to the garrisons of Charleston and Savannah. The garrison of St. Augustine you will determine upon according to circumstances on your arrival. The execution of the whole, both in point of mode and time, is left to your discretion. In case you should meet with obstructions by any attack supported by a formidable force, or from disappointments, so that it will not be in your power to effect the evacuation without great hazard of considerable loss, an early capitulation, which may secure the main object, is thought preferable to an obstinate defence of the place without hope of answering any national purpose by it.

"In the execution of his Majesty's command you must always bear in recollection, that the removal and reservation of his Majesty's troops for his service is the immediate object, to which all other considerations must give way. But you must likewise lose no time to avail yourself of the change of measures which has lately taken place, for the purpose of reconciling the minds and affections of his Majesty's American subjects, by such open and generous conduct as may serve to captivate their hearts, and remove every suspicion of insincerity. With this view, it may be well worthy of your most serious consideration, whether, though you should not meet with the obstructions we have now too much reason to apprehend, it would not be best to take the part of communicating, immediately upon your arrival, the enclosed resolutions of the House of Commons, bearing as they do incontestable marks of the universal sense of the kingdom, and his Majesty's resolution, in consequence, of withdrawing the troops. You may state every circumstance, if occasion offers, which has passed or is passing here, which can tend to revive old affections or

In a circular Letter which I have lately written to the States, I have taken occasion to mention the failure you experience from them, in their non-payment of the Sums demanded by the Requisition of Congress for the 8.000.000 Dollars.-I have represented in the most pointed terms I could use, the ill Effects this failure must have upon our military Operations;

extinguish late jealousies. You may observe, that the most liberal sentiments have taken root in the nation."-MS. Instructions to Sir Guy Carleton, April 4th.

It is obvious from these instructions that Sir Guy Carleton had a very delicate and difficult task to perform, especially as in the present state of feeling in America it would have been impossible for him to make himself believed for a moment, if he had communicated the sentiments of the British ministry. Even the cautious course which he found it necessary to adopt excited suspicions of his sincerity, and an apprehension that some design was at bottom which required to be guarded against, as is manifest from Washington's letters and all the proceedings of Congress. No one had dreamed that it was seriously the purpose of the British ministry at this time to evacuate all the maritime posts in the United States. The object of the ministry was a vigorous prosecution of the war in the West Indies against France and Spain, having already determined to concede the independence of the thirteen colonies.

The real intentions of the British cabinet, however, were early penetrated by Count de Vergennes. Within three weeks after the departure of Sir Guy Carleton from England, that minister wrote as follows to M. de la Luzerne.

"Every appearance indicates, that the British intend withdrawing their forces from the United States; or, at least, that the war will not be prosecuted there any more. They are probably preparing to continue the war in the Islands against the House of Bourbon. Attempts are made for a separate peace. Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams will undoubtedly render an account of the proposals which have been offered to them. Their language has been firm, and in the true principles of the alliance. In this respect we cannot applaud them too highly, and you may testify to Congress our entire satisfaction. If the English continue hostilities on the continent, it will be interesting to see in what manner the Americans will endeavour to render themselves useful to an ally, who has served them so largely. I do not expect from them much effective aid; but I hope they will be sufficiently enlightened not to ascribe to the good-will of the new ministry that which cannot and ought not to be considered in any other light than as the effect of their weakness."-MS. Letter from Vergennes to Luzerne, Versailles, May 2d.—Sparks.

-and have urged them, with the warmth of zeal & earnestness to a full & speedy compliance with your Expectations. I wish this application may have its desired effect.

I am experiencing much Trouble from Complaints of the Army against Mr. Sands's execution of his Contracts. By last post I transmitted to the Secretary of War, Copies of proceedings respecting the Contract for West point and its dependencies. & inclosed you will have those under the Contract for moving the Army.—It appears pretty evident to me, that the Contractors for the latter have availed themselves of Mr. Sands's knowledge and Experience to reject every thing in the new one, that did not immediately tend to his ease and emolument in the old one; and which like every thing else of the kind, that is not attended with mutual convenience, must effect its own reformation or destruction.-For it cannot be expected that an Army which has suffered every species of hardship and distress, that could arise from want of pay, deficiencies in their rations, and (till now) want of Cloathing, will submit contentedly to a measure which is not warranted by the Usage and customs of any other Army, merely because it is convenient and beneficial to the Contractors-Every man must know, and Mr. Sands acknowledges it, that issuing to a Regiment at one Draft, does not give to each Man the Ration which is prescribed for him. by the Contract; and to compell the Officers, who may wish to corn a little Beef, or, by way of change to furnish their Tables with Poultry, or the smaller

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kinds of Meat-or who may sometimes be from camp, or Quarters, and at other Times wish to entertain a friend, to take their Allowance in the same draft, and at the same time with the Men, whether their necessities call for more or less, or forfeit it, is not only unusual, but extremely hard and disagreeable to them; and will, if continued, be productive of serious Consequences—not only from their disquietudes, but the Jealousies which will prevail among the Men, who with or without cause, will suspect that the Officers not only take their full Allowance, but will have it of the choisest pieces leaving them to share the deficiency in that which is more indifferent. Besides, as the Contractors seem to think themselves under no legal Obligation, or controul to fulfill their Contract,-and are determined to encounter no Expence which they can possibly avoid,—I may be thwarted by & by in my Disposition of the Troops; because, by increasing their Clerks, it will add to their Expence. These Considerations, & the incessant Complaints which I am obliged to hear, & which engages a large portion of my Time, induces me to urge again, that the person who is to be the Arbiter of them may come forward without delay.

* *

I have not made these observations from a disinclination to support this Contract, or any other System by which the public interest can be promoted; and I should do injustice to the Officers of this Army, was I not to declare, that as far as my opportunities have gone (and I have conversed freely on the subject